I have some qualms with YA Paranormal lately but I feel like I’m being overly judgmental if I won’t give this a chance just because I grew tired reading formulated, predictable plots. I read Spellbound early this year when I was craving for a fantasy-witch-themed novel.
Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
Spellbound, #1
Kindle Edition, Harlequin Teen, 345 pages
YA Paranormal
Read on February 24, 2012
Life hasn’t been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she’s irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can’t stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma’s been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.
In every book I read there are two or three things I won’t forget:
1. The effect it had on me.
2. Character trait(s) that annoyed/amazed me.
3. If I threw the copy after reading it or not.
We can now cross out #3 because I read Spellbound in its Kindle format and I can’t throw away the gadget—period. It’s a little difficult for me to point out the things I liked and didn’t like in this book in detail because I read it six months ago. At times, my memory fails me. This is one of those days. I checked my Kindle to look for any notes or highlights I made while reading it but no luck. There’s nothing in it. So let’s make this simple.
The benefit of following a formula in a novel is establishing a storyline that works. However, formulaic novels always end up with hackneyed plots. This was my problem with Spellbound. The story is enough to make me finish it despite the predictable plot and character actions but since I didn’t find anything new, it didn’t stand out.
I can’t hurl this across the room. Can you?
The characters are the typical hero & heroine you find in most YA Paranormal these days. We have Brendan a super rich, good-looking, most popular guy in school who has an entire floor in their mansion as his room. I wasn’t drawn to his character because I don’t like guys who have not proven themselves yet but acts as if they own the entire universe because they were born into a wealthy family. Emma, on the other hand, is stupid. I like her at first. Her back-story was solid. It doesn’t really have anything to do with the plot. It was just an elaborate explanation as to why Emma has to move in with her Aunt across states. I liked it because it explains things with her behavior. But everything changes when she met Brendan. From being a sensible heroine, she became an obsessed fan girl. Even after Brendan gave her the cold shoulder, she can’t stop stalking liking him! Where’s your pride girl? Don’t blame it on fate, spell, etc etc. Do not rationalize Emma’s stupidity. I hate clingy girls. I hate girls who can’t get over guys who’ve hurt and humiliate them. I’m not saying Brendan is a douche bag. I’m just pointing out that we ladies should know when to draw the line. Don’t play dumb and blind. Find a better person who’ll treat you right. There are many fishes in the ocean!
In spite of everything I find clichéd in Spellbound, I still gave it 3 Kiss Marks. It was a decent read and all issues in the story were resolved. It may not be as mind blowing as the other books I have read but it was entertaining.
Mediocre: I can tolerate it but I want more!
Challenges:
Book # 24 of 2012
Other Reviews:
Dreaming In Books
Always Lost in Stories
Miss Book Reviews
Blurb & Photo Credit: Goodreads
Book Photo: Owned & edited by ShanaTalks
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